MONTEREY -- Three Santa Cruz County entrepreneurs will vie with eight others for the top prize of $50,000 cash and services in the fourth annual Monterey Bay Regional Business Plan Competition at the Monterey Institute of International Studies Irvine Auditorium, 499 Pierce St.

Joshua Mezher of Hydrogarden Industry Innovations, who invented an electric shears for trimming plants, Simon Casset of FlexSweep Industries, who invented an unbreakable handle for janitorial tools, and Darius Mohsenin of PostHost, which plans to set up warehouse sites for online buyers and sellers to drop off and pick up goods, are the locals in the venture category. This category is for startups that can return an investor's money tenfold in three to five years.

Jaimi Ellison of Santa Cruz Core Fitness is competing against 3 of a Kind, Open Ground Studios and Sangha Energy in the Main Street category, which offers a $5,000 prize.

Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel, and Cal State Monterey Bay President Eduardo Ochoa will speak along with Jeremy Neuner, co-founder of Nextspace CoWorking & Innovation, based in Santa Cruz. Last year, he admonished venture capitalists in the audience to invest in entrepreneurs in the Monterey Bay area, not just Silicon Valley.

Peter Gardner of Wavepoint Ventures will talk about a new venture he is starting in partnership with J.P. Morgan Chase, Startgrid, a web portal to link investors and other startup service providers to entrepreneurs.

Last year's winners, Ryan Hambley and Ben Holber from YoDerm, will speak about their experiences since winning the grand prize.